Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers are loved all over the world. Perhaps it is because of the beautiful, vibrant color of the bell peppers, the protein-rich filling, or the comforting flavors. Whatever the reason, most places seem to have their own take on this very special stuffed pepper dish. And today, we are making quick and easy, nutritious, delicious vegetarian stuffed peppers.

Maybe you grew up loving stuffed peppers. Perhaps they were even on your weekly menu. This was not the case in my home. They were rarely served, and when they were served, I was not super excited. I have always been extra sensitive to bitterness, and green peppers often taste bitter to me. Red peppers, on the other hand, taste wonderful and make delicious vegan stuffed peppers. I have since learned that blanching the green peppers makes them less bitter.

The Stuffed Pepper Recipe is one of those recipes that can be made into all sorts of exotic and fanciful dishes with the right filling. However, today, we are making super simple, no-fuss stuffed peppers.

Stuffed Peppers (serves 6)

• Prep Time = 20-30 minutes
• Cook Time = 30-40 minutes
• Total Time = 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3–6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 onions, finely chopped
• 9 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 small jalapeños, finely chopped (optional)
• 6 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 cans (15.5 ounces) small white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 6 large sweet peppers

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Filling:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• In a medium saucepan, sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño in olive oil.
• Add cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and tomato paste.
• In a separate bowl, make a slurry with the cold water and cornstarch, and add to the filling and stir.
• Add white beans, cilantro, and salt. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 1 minute.

Step 2: Prepare the Peppers:

• Wash the peppers and cut them either lengthwise or crosswise according to your preference.
• Cut out the core and deseed the peppers.

Step 3: Assemble the Stuffed Peppers

• Grease a baking dish and arrange the peppers in the dish.
• Fill each half pepper with 1/4 of the filling.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes. Garnish and serve.

Step 4: Garnishes

• Cubed or sliced avocado: Avocado adds a beautiful touch to these easy vegan stuffed peppers. The nutty flavor and creamy texture elevate the dish to another level.  
• Minced fresh cilantro:  Adding some fresh herbs for garnish adds debt to the flavor, but even more importantly, it provides a sense of freshness that is particularly important to baked casserole dishes.  
• Sliced green onions: Finely sliced on the diagonal, green onions are a beautiful and fresh garnish for these stuffed peppers with bean filling.  
• Ranch Dressing (makes 1 1/2 cups; takes 5 minutes): 1 1/2 cups vegan mayo, 1–4 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried or freeze dried dill, 1 teaspoon freeze dried or dried chives, and sea salt to taste. In a small bowl add vegan mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, dill and chives. Stir to blend. Add milk to get desired consistency. Finally, add salt to taste.

Call to Action

"And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'"

John 6:35

I hope you enjoy these stuffed peppers. More importantly, I hope you take time each day to eat from God's Word!

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All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.